Table Of ContentGetting Started
Consumer-
Operated
with Evidence-Based
Services
Practices
Getting Started
Consumer-
Operated
with Evidence-Based
Services
Practices
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Acknowledgments
This document was prepared for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) by Abt Associates, Inc., and Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., under contract
number 280-04-0095 and Westat under contract number 270-03-6005, with SAMHSA, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Pamela Fischer, Ph.D., and Crystal Blyler,
Ph.D., served as Government Project Officers.
Disclaimer
The views, opinions, and content of this publication are those of the authors and contributors
and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the Center for Mental Health
Services (CMHS), SAMHSA, or HHS.
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or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Citation of the source is appreciated. However,
this publication may not be reproduced or distributed for a fee without the specific, written
authorization from the Office of Communications, SAMHSA, HHS.
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Or, please call SAMHSA’s Health Information Network at 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727)
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Recommended Citation
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Consumer-Operated Services:
Getting Started with Evidence-Based Practices. HHS Pub. No. SMA-11-4633, Rockville, MD: Center
for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2011.
Originating Office
Center for Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
1 Choke Cherry Road
Rockville, MD 20857
HHS Publication No. SMA-11-4633
Printed 2011
Getting Started
with Evidence-Based Practices
Getting Started with Evidence-Based Practices gives you an overview
Consumer-
of the activities that are generally involved in implementing
evidence-based practices (EBPs) and tells you how to make EBPs Operated
culturally competent. This booklet is particularly relevant to
mental health authorities and agency staff who develop and Services
manage EBP programs.
For references, see the booklet, The Evidence.
This KIT is part of a series of Evidence-Based Practices KITs created
by the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services.
This booklet is part of the Consumer-Operated Services KIT, which
includes seven booklets:
How to Use the Evidence-Based Practices KITs
Getting Started with Evidence-Based Practices
Building Your Program
Training Frontline Staff
Evaluating Your Program
The Evidence
Using Multimedia to Introduce Consumer-Operated Services
What’s in Getting Started
with Evidence-Based Practices
Consensus Building: Build Support for Change .....................1
Consumer-
Integrate the EBP into Policies and Procedures ......................4
Operated
Assess Training Needs .........................................................5
Services
Monitor and Evaluate Regularly ..........................................7
Maximize Effectiveness by Making Services
Culturally Competent ..........................................................9
Getting Started with
Evidence-Based Practices
Practitioner training alone is not This overview introduces the general
effective. The experience of mental range of activities involved in successfully
health authorities and agencies that implementing EBPs.
have successfully implemented
evidence-based practices (EBPs) For guidelines and suggestions for
reinforces this fact. Rather, practitioner EBP-specific activities, see the remaining
training must be complemented by booklets in this KIT.
a broad range of implementation
activities, including the following:
Building support for the EBP; Consensus Building:
Integrating the EBP into agency Build Support for Change
policies and procedures;
Training staff agency-wide on basic Within a system, change affects various
stakeholders differently. Consequently,
EBP principles; and
when making changes in the mental
Facilitating ongoing monitoring and
health system, mental health agencies
evaluation of the program.
should expect varied reactions from staff,
community members, consumers, and
families. Since misunderstandings can
stymie your efforts to implement EBPs,
it is important to build consensus to
implement EBPs in the community.
Getting Started With Evidence-Based Practices 1 Consumer-Operated Services
By forming an advisory committee of
How to build support for your EBP
potential champions from stakeholder
groups, you will be able to broadly
Consensus-building activities are designed to build
disseminate information in the community.
support for implementing EBPs. Here are some
ways to accomplish this:
After training committee members in
the basic principles of the EBP, ask them
Step 1 Identify key stakeholders or people who
to hold informational meetings or to
will be affected by the EBP. Stakeholders
regularly disseminate information to
may include agency personnel at all
their stakeholder groups.
levels, mental health authority staff,
and consumer and family representatives.
Step 3 Ask for advice. Developing the advisory
Depending on the EBP, you may also
committee and educating its members
wish to build relationships with other
in the EBP early in the planning process
community organizations, such as the
will allow you to ask committee members
Department of Vocational Rehabilitation,
for their advice during all phases of
homeless shelters, domestic violence
implementation. Community members
programs, criminal justice programs, food
may help assess community and agency
banks, police, hospitals, peer-support
readiness to implement the EBP and
services, and consumer and family groups.
its activities.
Step 2 Invite a potential EBP champion from
Once the EBP is in place, committee
each stakeholder group to participate
members can keep EBP staff informed of
in an EBP advisory committee. According
relevant community trends that may have
to agencies who have successfully
an impact on providing the EBP services.
implemented EBPs, identifying ongoing
champions and forming an advisory
EBP advisory committees are crucial for
committee are critical activities. While at
sustaining the EBP over time. When EBP
first you may feel that creating an advisory
staff or other well-trained staff leave and
committee slows the process, any amount
must be replaced or when funding
of time used to build stakeholder support
streams or program requirements change,
is worth the effort.
community and political alliances are
essential. A well-established committee
EBPs have little hope for success if
can champion the EBP through changes.
communities don’t see them as needed,
affordable, worth the effort, and
congruent with community values and
the agency’s practice philosophy.
Mental health authorities and agency
administrators must convey to key
stakeholders a clear vision and a
commitment to implementing the EBP.
Consumer-Operated Services 2 Getting Started With Evidence-Based Practices
